Johnny Whitaker Reflects on Demands of Being a Child Star and Family Affair Co-Stars - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 05-09-2026, 07:38 AM

"Family Affair's" Johnny Whitaker Reflects on Demands of Being a Child Star
by Kathleen Perricone
May 7, 2026

The life of a Hollywood child star can be a rocky road, but for "Family Affair's" Johnny Whitaker it was the only path he knew.

Acting professionally since the age of 3, the Los Angeles native was only 6 when he was cast as Jody, one of three orphans raised by their wealthy bachelor uncle Bill (Brian Keith), on the CBS sitcom that ran for five seasons from 1966 to 1971.

It didn't take long for audiences to fall in love with freckle-faced Whitaker and his TV twin sister Buffy, played by Anissa Jones.

"Being a child star and a child actor, everybody loves you," Whitaker, now 66, told Woman’s World in a new interview. "You're always coddled and cuddled and loved, and all of us are looking for acceptance and love. So of course I liked that."

But the little boy had to work hard to earn that adoration.

At the time, "I didn't really know that I was acting," he admitted. "I knew that not all young boys leave the house at 7:00 a.m. nine months out of the year, go to the set by 8:00, go to school, go on set, go to lunch, go back to school, go back to set, come home… and start it all over five days a week. That was normal for me. I didn't necessarily know that I was not normal, but I knew that it was not usual and customary."

By the second season, Whitaker and Jones were working seven days a week, between filming and publicity duties. "Jody" and "Buffy" clothing lines were launched and the two child stars were expected to ensure the product flew off the shelves.

On the weekends and during "Family Affair's" summer hiatus, Whitaker and Jones were shuttled around the country for promotional fashion shows.

"Being adulated by 15,000 or 20,000 people in a mall is something I basked in," recalled Whitaker. "I loved it. Anissa, not so much. She was more quiet and reserved in real life."

Although she and Whitaker lost contact after "Family Affair" wrapped, "My agent said that she had seen this girl that looked like Anissa, very dejected and sad… sitting on the curb," he revealed to Woman's World.

"She looked high and was just very dejected."

Not long after, Jones was found dead from an overdose after a night of partying. She was 18.

"It was at that time that I realized that I might need to become a little bit more normal and do some more normal things," said Whitaker. He went back to high school, joined the spirit team and got into student government. "I had a great opportunity to do plays and be as normal as I could be."

Another costar whom he lost contact with in the decades after "Family Affair" was his TV father figure. But in 1997, when Whitaker heard Keith was very ill he got his phone number and gave him a call.

"I said, 'Brian… I wanted you to know that I'm praying for you, and I wanted you to know how much I love you and care about you and have respected you and the work that you've done and what you've taught me as an actor and as a human being,'" recalled Whitaker. "'Oh, Johnny, I'm so sorry. I'm just an old fart. The doctors give me five days to live.' 'Oh my goodness… five days?'"

Sure enough, five days later, Keith died at the age of 75 — however, he took his own life.

But he was very much still with Whitaker. Days later, he was driving down the freeway in Los Angeles when he was distracted by his ringing car phone and didn't realize the traffic ahead of him had come to a halt. As he swerved to avoid a collision, his car ended up right in the path of an oncoming semi.

"And I hear Brian’s voice say, 'Duck, cover, roll,'" he told Woman's World. "That, I believe, was an angel — Brian being himself, caring about me. So as I heard that voice, I let go of the steering wheel, I covered my head, I ducked down and moved to the side just as my car came in contact with the semi. The top of my car—and I would've lost my head—was gone."

"I looked up and I said, 'Thank you, Brian,'" said Whitaker. "After that, I went to the funeral and am forever grateful to Brian for that."

https://ew.com/family-affair-star-jo...mands-11969964

biffbronson · 05-09-2026, 05:57 PM

Thanks for posting that. There have been a couple of really good interview videos with Johnny on YouTube. I remember his story about running into the semi. Anyway, he has a good memory and is able to give details about the casting of Family Affair.

05-09-2026, 07:38 AM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 56,961	Johnny Whitaker Reflects on Demands of Being a Child Star and Family Affair Co-Stars *"Family Affair's" Johnny Whitaker Reflects on Demands of Being a Child Star* by Kathleen Perricone May 7, 2026 The life of a Hollywood child star can be a rocky road, but for "Family Affair's" Johnny Whitaker it was the only path he knew. Acting professionally since the age of 3, the Los Angeles native was only 6 when he was cast as Jody, one of three orphans raised by their wealthy bachelor uncle Bill (Brian Keith), on the CBS sitcom that ran for five seasons from 1966 to 1971. It didn't take long for audiences to fall in love with freckle-faced Whitaker and his TV twin sister Buffy, played by Anissa Jones. "Being a child star and a child actor, everybody loves you," Whitaker, now 66, told Woman’s World in a new interview. "You're always coddled and cuddled and loved, and all of us are looking for acceptance and love. So of course I liked that." But the little boy had to work hard to earn that adoration. At the time, "I didn't really know that I was acting," he admitted. "I knew that not all young boys leave the house at 7:00 a.m. nine months out of the year, go to the set by 8:00, go to school, go on set, go to lunch, go back to school, go back to set, come home… and start it all over five days a week. That was normal for me. I didn't necessarily know that I was not normal, but I knew that it was not usual and customary." By the second season, Whitaker and Jones were working seven days a week, between filming and publicity duties. "Jody" and "Buffy" clothing lines were launched and the two child stars were expected to ensure the product flew off the shelves. On the weekends and during "Family Affair's" summer hiatus, Whitaker and Jones were shuttled around the country for promotional fashion shows. "Being adulated by 15,000 or 20,000 people in a mall is something I basked in," recalled Whitaker. "I loved it. Anissa, not so much. She was more quiet and reserved in real life." Although she and Whitaker lost contact after "Family Affair" wrapped, "My agent said that she had seen this girl that looked like Anissa, very dejected and sad… sitting on the curb," he revealed to Woman's World. "She looked high and was just very dejected." Not long after, Jones was found dead from an overdose after a night of partying. She was 18. "It was at that time that I realized that I might need to become a little bit more normal and do some more normal things," said Whitaker. He went back to high school, joined the spirit team and got into student government. "I had a great opportunity to do plays and be as normal as I could be." Another costar whom he lost contact with in the decades after "Family Affair" was his TV father figure. But in 1997, when Whitaker heard Keith was very ill he got his phone number and gave him a call. "I said, 'Brian… I wanted you to know that I'm praying for you, and I wanted you to know how much I love you and care about you and have respected you and the work that you've done and what you've taught me as an actor and as a human being,'" recalled Whitaker. "'Oh, Johnny, I'm so sorry. I'm just an old fart. The doctors give me five days to live.' 'Oh my goodness… five days?'" Sure enough, five days later, Keith died at the age of 75 — however, he took his own life. But he was very much still with Whitaker. Days later, he was driving down the freeway in Los Angeles when he was distracted by his ringing car phone and didn't realize the traffic ahead of him had come to a halt. As he swerved to avoid a collision, his car ended up right in the path of an oncoming semi. "And I hear Brian’s voice say, 'Duck, cover, roll,'" he told Woman's World. "That, I believe, was an angel — Brian being himself, caring about me. So as I heard that voice, I let go of the steering wheel, I covered my head, I ducked down and moved to the side just as my car came in contact with the semi. The top of my car—and I would've lost my head—was gone." "I looked up and I said, 'Thank you, Brian,'" said Whitaker. "After that, I went to the funeral and am forever grateful to Brian for that." https://ew.com/family-affair-star-jo...mands-11969964

05-09-2026, 05:57 PM	#2
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,273	Thanks for posting that. There have been a couple of really good interview videos with Johnny on YouTube. I remember his story about running into the semi. Anyway, he has a good memory and is able to give details about the casting of Family Affair.